La Bruschetta

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• What are these?

• Average price 2 courses:
   £12.95 (set lunch)
   £22 (evening meal)
• House wine: £13.50 per bottle

• Hitlisted
• High point: House wines as smooth as the service
• Low point: Trying to remember a list of specials as long as your arm
• Food served: Tue-Sat noon-2pm, 6-10.30pm. Closed Sun/Mon
• Open since: 2002

The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 is now in the shops.

This review is from the 2007 edition.

Stressed-out commuters would do well to follow West End residents to La Bruschetta, a tiny, cosy haven, just across the road from the bustle of Haymarket Station. Even during the week the bright, living room-sized restaurant is often packed and has the air of a bubbly dinner party as the efficient staff banter with regulars. Quality Scottish ingredients are combined with Italian chef/owner Giovanni Cariello's passion for good, uncomplicated food to create a menu full of tantalising choices. Bruschetta, topped with luscious tomatoes, oregano and garlic seems the obvious place to start, but rich funghi alla cilentana, a heavenly mix of garlic-infused mushrooms and grilled goat's cheese, is also recommended. The range of traditional pasta dishes struggles to compete with meat and fish specialities, such as pan-fried lamb with artichokes and linguettini ai frutti di mare, laden with prawns, calamari and mussels in a light tomato sauce. Ask a well informed waiter for the many daily specials or for help selecting from the exclusively Italian wine list. Alluring desserts include alcohol-laced ice-cream treats and unfeasibly airy tiramisu. Enjoy and forget the busy streets behind the closed blinds for a few moments longer.